Dokubo-Asari: Henry Okah wanted Jonathan dead since 2007

Leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Ahajli Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, alleged that the plot to assassinate President Goodluck Jonathan by Henry Okah and his Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) was hatched before Jonathan became Nigeria’s president.

Dokubo-Asari, who spoke with reporters in Abuja at the weekend, also said it would be a painful decision for him to vote for the Rivers State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike, in next month’s elections.

He said the leaders of Niger-Delta, including Chief Edwin Clark, prevented Jonathan from speaking on the 2010 assassination attempt. The former militant leader noted that the president could no longer be deceived by leaders of the zone to maintain a silence on the matter.

He said: “For me, what the President said is belated. The President had known since 2007 that Henry Okah wanted to kill him. For not saying it, it is the fault of Ijaw leaders, including Clark, who have been saying hide this thing; sweep it under the carpet.

“And one day, the debris under the carpet will become too much that the carpet will be undulated. Now, it is undulated, the stench is coming out and the president could no longer hold it.

“He has now come out to say Henry Okah wanted to assassinate me, which was true”.

He explained that there were lots of clandestine activities by Okah in 2007 targeted at eliminating Jonathan when he was Bayelsa State governor because of his resistance to donate the state’s budget to him.

According to him, “Henry Okah wanted Goodluck Jonathan to pay him money. Go and read my write-up when I said “When Silence is not Golden” in 2007. I published a very lengthy Part One. Ijaw elders begged me not to reveal more in Part Two. It is ready, but I didn’t publish it because Chief Clark and others begged me not to publish it because I am revealing the secrets of Ijaw people. But I told them that this thing you people are doing will backfire.

“You are supporting evil. Tompolo and everybody were on me that I was revealing Ijaw’s secrets. I became their enemy and everything. If Henry Okah asks for money and you don’t give him, he attacks you. He asked Goodluck Jonathan when he was governor to share the budget and give him five per cent. Every month, five per cent of what they received must be given to them to service the boys. And Jonathan said No.

“Henry Okah invaded Government House with his boys, some of the people who are now claiming to support Jonathan invaded Government House, destroyed Government House. My people ran away with Goodluck. They went to Otueke, burnt down his country home in Otueke, thinking he was there. The governor ran.

“But there are people around him saying there must be unity among the ijaw people. If you recall, I am the only person who has been talking against Henry Okah. That man is a criminal. He is nobody. He doesn’t have the power they think he has.”